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E. B. AYRES.

TRAY FLUSHING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men JUNE 30. 1921.

1,431,770. Patented 0ct.19,1922,

Patented Oct. 10, I922.

ELWOOD B. AYI-tES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PROCTOB &

SCHWARTZ, INCORPORATED, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAY-FLUSI-IING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 30, 1921. Serial No. 481,590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwoon B. AYRns. a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Tray-Flushing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to certain improvements in means for washing, or flushing. trays of endless belt conveyers in drying pottery and like articles.

The object of my invention is to provide means for cleansing the trays after they have carried the articles to be dried so that, when they are reloaded, they are free of loose, or adhering particles.

This object I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompany-- ing drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View on the line 1-1, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating sufficient of the apparatus to show my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the frame of a drier, or other support. 2 is a rail for guiding the trays 3 through the machine. These trays, in the present instance, have hangers 4L suspended from chains 5 adapted to be supported by guide rails 6. The guide rail 2 supports the trays while they are being washed.

The tray is shown as a wooden tray, in the present instance, but it will be understood that it may be of metal and may be perforated, or may be made of wire, as desired, depending upon the articles to be carried. Q

Mounted on a shaft 7, driven in any suitable manner, is a brush 8, which cleans the under side of the tray 3. This brush preferably rotates in a direction opposite to the travel of the tray.

- 9 is a driven shaft mounted in bearings 10. On thisshaft is a gear wheel 11 meshing with a gear wheel 12 on a brush shaft 13 carried by arms 14 pivoted on the shaft 10. Mounted on the shaft 13 are hubs 15 having arms 16 to which the brushes 17 are attached. The brush shaft 13moves in the direction of its arrow, Fig. 1, which is opposite the direction of movement of the tray 3. The brush shaft 13 can be raised and lowered by an adjusting screw 18 on one of the arms 14:, which passes through a brace on the frame and is held in position by nuts 19. The arms 14 are provided with weights 20, which can be adjusted thereon for the purpose of balancing the brush when the adjusting screw 18 is not in use.

In front of the upper brush is a spray pipe 21. having a series of small openings 22 through which'water is sprayed onto the trays as they pass under the brush. 23 is a water supply pipe connected to an inlet pipe 24 extending to one side of the apparatus. This apparatus may be located in the drying machine on the return. run so that the trays can be thoroughly flushed after the articles to be dried have been removed therefrom and before they are loaded with fresh material.

The invention is especially adapted for use in driers for pottery, as all loose material must be removed from the trays before they are reloaded, since no particles are permitted to adhere to the pottery.

I claim:

1. The combination in means for washing trays, of rails for supporting the trays; means for conveying the trays over the rails; a rotating brush located below the path of the trays and another brush located above the path of the trays; means for driving the brushes; and a spraying device arranged to spray water onto the upper surface of the trays as they pass the upper brush.

2. The combination of a frame; rails on the frame; means for traversing trays over the rails: a brush below the path of the trays for brushing the under side of the trays; a brush above the path of the trays; arms pivotally mounted on the frame and carrying the upper brush; means for adjustably holding the brush in position; a spraying device located in front of the upper brush and arranged to spray water onto the trays as they pass the upper brush; and means for rotating the two brushes in a direction opposite to the movement of the trays.

ELWOOD B. AYRES. 

